Research

Taxes & Economy

Act 44 & Transportation Funding

• September 4, 2008

In July 2007, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed and Governor Ed Rendell signed Act 44. This legislation authorized the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) to increase tolls on the Turnpike;…

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Education

A Pennsylvania School Report Card

• August 21, 2008

Politicians and school officials frequently point to student performance  on state tests as a primary measure of the quality of public education.  According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the…

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Leasing the Turnpike: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

• May 23, 2008

Tthe Commonwealth Foundation and the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation released a policy brief entitled Leasing the Turnpike: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to help enhance and enlighten the current transportation…

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Health Care

Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvanias Health Care Safety Net

• May 8, 2008

Politicians and school officials frequently point to student performance  on state tests as a primary measure of the quality of public education.  According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the…

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Education

A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• April 28, 2008

Executive Summary An increasing number of parents are choosing Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools for their children every year. Between 2001 and 2006, enrollment grew from 1,848 to almost 16,000 students.

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Education

Cyber Schools: Frequently Asked Questions

• April 15, 2008

Hearings are being held across the state on legislation for limits on spending by public cyber schools The proposed legislation is a response to criticism that cyber schools are not…

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Regulation

Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2008

• Matthew Brouillette, Nathan Benefield
• March 10, 2008

State government consumption and spending of taxpayer money has grown rapidly over the years. Since 1970, Pennsylvania’s operating budget increased from $4.2 billion to $59 billion in FY 2007-2008, an…

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission vs. PennDOT

• March 3, 2008

Act 44 of 2007 dramatically expanded the scope and power of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) to increase tolls on the 537-mile Turnpike; enter into a lease agreement with…

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State Budget

The Truth About Spending Limits

• February 1, 2008

Pennsylvanians want limits placed on the annual increases in state government spending.  Despite the strong support of taxpayers, many special interest groups that profit from higher taxes and more government…

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Health Care

“Cover All Pennsylvanians” Covers Very Few

• January 14, 2008

Governor Rendell’s proposed “Cover All Pennsylvanians” claims to provide health insurance for an Administration-estimated 800,000 currently uninsured Pennsylvania adults at a cost of $1 billion dollars in just four years.

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Energy

Energy Policy

• September 25, 2007

Governor Ed Rendell has proposed issuing $850 million in new debt to subsidize select “alternative energy” companies and energy conservation efforts, along with a mandate that every gallon of…

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Government Accountability

Campaign Finance Limits & Public Funding

• August 15, 2007

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation that would limit campaign contributions and would allow for taxpayer financing of gubernatorial campaigns. This legislation is based on the “Clean Election” model passed by…

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Education

The Dollars and Sense of School Choice

• July 31, 2007

Introduction Every year, most Pennsylvania homeowners receive larger property tax bills due to increases in public school spending. In the nine school years from 1997 to 2006, school property taxes…

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Education

Edifice Complex: Where Has All the Money Gone?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 26, 2007

From the 1986-87 to 2005-06 school years, taxpayer spending on Pennsylvania’s government-run K-12 schools increased from $6.6 billion to almost $22 billion—a 72% increase after adjusting for inflation. Between…

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Regulation

Smoking Bans

• July 10, 2007

The effort to ban smoking in restaurants, bars, and private businesses is a product of bad science and worse economics.

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Taxes & Economy

Spending Diet Step #3: Stop Over-Taxing

• July 3, 2007

Commonwealth Foundation calls on lawmakers to return the state’s $650 million surplus to taxpayers HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation called upon the General Assembly to return the state’s…

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Taxes & Economy

Mass Transit Reform: Lessons for Pennsylvania

• June 26, 2007

Executive Summary Pennsylvania’s two major public transit agencies, the Philadelphia-area Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the Pittsburgh-based Port Authority Transit (PAT), have been in financial crisis for years, with…

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Education

Taxpayer-Funded Preschool: Count the Costs

• June 13, 2007

Governor Ed Rendell’s budget proposal for the 2007-08 fiscal year includes $75 million for “Pre-K Counts”—a taxpayer-funded program which would provide grants to school districts, Head Start programs, and government-approved…

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Education

Taxpayer-Funded, Universal Preschool in Pennsylvania: Benefits Questioned

• Nathan Benefield
• June 13, 2007

The push toward taxpayer-funded preschool for every child in Pennsylvania continues with Governor Rendell’s budget proposal for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The Governor wants $75 million for “Pre-K Counts,” which…

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Taxes & Economy

Act 1 Property-to-Income Tax Shift

• May 8, 2007

On May 15, 2007, voters across the Commonwealth will be asked to vote on a property-to-income tax shift to pay for public education expenditures. The Property Tax Relief Act of…

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Taxes & Economy

The Emerging Paradigm: Financing and Managing Pennsylvanias Transportation Infrastructure and Mass Transit

• Matthew Brouillette
• March 6, 2007

In November 2006, Governor Ed Rendell’s Pennsylvania Transportation Funding and Reform Commission identified a $1.7 billion annual shortfall in funding for the Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure and mass transit services. The…

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